President Donald Trump’s visit to Blue Ash leaves mark on area

President Donald Trump’s visit to Blue Ash came as a surprise to people in the area. For many students, this event marked the first time being in close proximity to a president.

From school closing to student demonstrations, Trump’s visit left impressions on residents in the area regardless of whether they supported him or protested his visit.

Sycamore closes schools due to road closures

SHS students were called out of school on Mon., Feb. 5 due to the president’s visit to the business Sheffer Corporation, which is located down the road from the school.
All of the schools in the district were closed due to the unpredictability of road closures. While students were told not to come to school, staff members were still expected to report at normal start times.
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Officers put safety measures in place

From early morning until the president’s departure, fire trucks, police cars, and snipers remained in position near the Sheffer Corporation, ready to take action at a moment’s notice.
They were near and at road blocks, where officers and Secret Service checked all attendees prior to entering the area.
Even before receiving an invite, these attendees were background-checked and c...

Security increases as time for presidential visit nears

Before entering the building where the event was held, attendees were required to travel through an airport security-like area, where they walked through metal detectors and had their bags searched for any dangerous objects/substances.
Even within the Scheffer Corporation, Secret Service, FBI, police officers, and firefighters roamed the area, on high alert for any possible threats.
As th...

Media preps for president’s arrival

There was a long wait period after entering the building. The first attendees began filing in around noon, with more than two hours until the president was scheduled to arrive.
Though most of the press was at Lunken Airport, there were a few in the facility, who used the time to set up and pick the best spots in order to take photos of the president and live stream his speech.
The p...

Trump speaks to crowd of supporters

Trump originally came to Sheffer Corporation to boost his tax overhaul among a group of working class supporters.
He spoke about how factories and jobs were coming back to the country, particularly singling out Ohio. He also praised the bill for increasing wages, all but eliminating Obamacare, and doubling child tax credits.
“America is once again open for business,” Trump said....

Outside, students demonstrate what they believe in

With the closing of school, many SHS students took advantage of their day off and participated in demonstrations.
They made posters, went out into the freezing temperatures ranging from 17 to 29 degrees, and protested or supported Trump’s visit from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m., the scheduled protest time.
Some students stayed until 3:00 p.m., which was when Trump finished his speech and left Cincinnati...